I came back soaked from my little excursion into town. I had enough time when I got back to sort out unfinished items from my to do list. The list keeps growing smaller if that makes any sense. Since the last few days were in transit visiting many people it was nice to have this time to relax and catch up with these things. We ate together with my aunt who has been poorly for so long but she keeps going and I can always see that she enjoys my visits. She has this smile on her face as we talk amongst ourselves keeping her company. My cousins wanted to hear about my trip to South Africa. I showed them some pictures that I still had left on my tablet.  

They wondered what would possess me to bungee jump off a bridge and how the people lived with each other there. I showed them the video and relayed to them some of the adventures we had over there. I told them about how wonderful the people were that I met and how beautiful the country was. We spent quite a long time talking together but I had to go to visit a few more aunts in the village. It’s very convenient coming to Joasia’s place. The village is quite small and there are a few aunts that live here. It was already dark when I set out to do my usual rounds that I do when I’m here. It is the time of Lent and this particular night the priest leads a procession through the village following the stations of the cross. As I approached my first destination candles lined the road creating a nice atmosphere. It looked like a runway along the curving road as I walked down the hill. I could hear the procession somewhere in the distance from the megaphone that amplified the hymns sung by the faithful. 

My aunt greeted me with a warm embrace and a tearful smile. Her husband has been feeling poorly and has been in and out of hospital for a while. It has always been nice to visit her and them together. She invited me in and proceeded to make me some tea as is customary for any guest wherever I’ve visited. We sat and talked for a little bit and she informed me after a while that my cousin was home. She informed him of my presence and what was initially supposed to be just a quick visit quickly escalated into a meal. I haven’t seen this cousin in a while as he works far away in another part of the country. Since his dad’s not well him and all his siblings have been spending a lot more time here in the village supporting each other. We ate and talked and the spirit flowed. As we talked about my plans for the future and when I will finally settle down he said that I have to find myself a place to call my own that I know I could alway return to. As I think of it now I need to find a Walden of my own. He said I need to plant a tree and get a goat. The tree is for the goat to feed on the goat is for me to keep an eye on so it doesn’t finish off the tree. I could have stayed there longer but there was one more place I had to go to. 

The other aunt lives not far away. You can see the house from the porch as you walk down the stairs. The light was still on and my cousin called a bit earlier to confirm they were up. It was just my cousin there with her husband and kids. My aunt left to tend to another daughter’s kids as there is a flu going around and they are unwell and the parents have to work the night shift so someone had to be there. Nonetheless the cousin that was home have me this “it’s about time you showed up” look as we greeted. We always have lots of laughs. She lives at home with my aunt and its a good thing as well after my uncle’s tragic passing they are able to support each other and someone is there to watch over her kids. This house that they live in is the house my mom grew up in. I learned of its history how my great-great-grandfather travelled to America and made money there travelled back and bought the land that houses the estate. I learned of this in Kraków during my brief time there earlier in the week. We talked for a long time but soon it was time to go again. In the morning we set off again to visit some more family and share more stories again.